The basis for the practice of Bodhicitta

by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

As a preliminary to this teaching, we must consider three things: the preciousness of being born a human being, the fact of impermanence and the problem of samsaric existence.

HUMAN BIRTH 

We are at the moment in possession of a precious human existence endowed with eighteen characteristics which are very difficult to obtain. If the teachings of the Buddha are practised correctly, then it is as  the saying goes:

Used well, this body is a ship to liberation,

Otherwise it is an anchor in samsara.

this body is the agent of all good and evil.

From the point of view of one who seeks enlightenment, it is far better to be a human being than to be born even in the heavens of the gods, where there is nectar to live on and all wishes are granted by the wish fulfilling tree; where there is neither fatigue nor difficulty, neither sickness nor old age. It is as humans, possessed of the eight freedoms and the ten endowments, and not as gods, that every one of the thousand  Buddhas of this age has attained, or will attain, enlightenment. This human existence, moreover, is not to be achieved by force or mere chance; it is the result of positive actions. And because it is rare for beings to accomplish positive actions, a precious human existence is indeed difficult to obtain. Nevertheless, we have now managed to be born into such a state; we have encountered the Buddhadharma, have entered the path and are now receiving teachings. But if we are unable to practise them, simply  listening to the teachings will not in itself liberate us from samsara, and will  be of no help to us when we are confronted by the hardships of birth, disease, old age and death. If we do not follow the doctor's prescription when  we are sick, then even if the doctor sits constantly by our side, the pain  will not go away.

IMPERMANENCE 

As we have just said, if we neglect to practise the teachings, they  will be of no use to us. Moreover our lives are fragile and impermanent, and because death and its causes are uncertain, we may succumb at any moment. We may think, 'Oh, I will practise when I am older, but now while I am young, I will live an ordinary life, making money, getting the better of my  rivals, helping my friends, and so on.' But the fact is that we might not  live to be very old. Just think for example of the people who were born at the same time as ourselves. Some might have died as children, some as  adults, at their work and so on. Our own lives might not be very long either. 

Furthermore, a human existence, in comparison with that of an animal, seems almost impossible to achieve. If you examine a clod of earth in summer, you might find more creatures in it than the population of  the whole of France! That is why we say that, in terms of numbers alone, a human birth is difficult to obtain. So we should make up our minds that we will practise the Dharma instead of throwing our lives away in  meaningless activities.

To use our human lives to accomplish the Buddhadharma, is like crossing the ocean in search of costly jewels and afterwards returning home with every kind of precious thing; the difficulties of the trip will have been well rewarded. It would be a shame to come back empty handed! We are now in possession of a precious human form and have discovered the Teachings of Buddha. Through the blessings and kindness of the teachers it is now possible for us to receive, study and practise the Doctrine. But if we are preoccupied only with the worldly activities of this life: business, farming, prevailing over enemies, helping friends, hoping for an important position and so on-and we die before we have made time for spiritual practice, it would be just like coming home empty-handed from the isle of jewels. What an incredible waste! Therefore we should think to  ourselves, 'I am not going to miss my chance. While I have this precious opportunity, I will practise the Dharma.' Of course, the best thing would be to practise for the whole of our lives; but at least we should take refuge properly, for this is the essence of the Buddhadharma and closes the door to the lower realms. It is the universal antidote that can be applied in any kind of  difficulty, and to practise it is therefore most important.

Although, for the moment, you do not understand me, due to the difference of our languages, you are all aware that I am giving you some instruction. After I have gone, everything will be translated for you and perhaps you will think, 'That Lama taught us something important; I must put it into practice.' If you really do so, in your lives from day to  day, then my explanation will have had some point to it. So please take it to  heart.

THE DEFECTS OF SAMSARA 

The experience of happiness and suffering comes about as the result of positive and negative actions; therefore evil should be abandoned and virtue cultivated as much as possible.

Even the tiniest insect living in the grass wishes to be happy. But  it does not know how to gather the causes of happiness, namely positive actions, nor how to avoid the cause of suffering, which is evil behaviour. When animals kill and eat each other, they instinctively commit negative actions. They wish for happiness, but all they do is to create the causes of their misery and experience nothing but suffering. This is the measure of their ignorance and delusion. But if the truth were really shown to  them, then without a care even for their lives, they would accomplish that very virtue which they would recognise as the source of their own happiness. The essence of the Buddha's teaching is to understand clearly what  behaviour is to be adopted and what is to be rejected.

Abandon evil-doing,

Practise virtue well,

Subdue your mind:

This is Buddha's teaching.

At the moment, we are all caught in the state of delusion, and so  we should acknowledge all the negative actions we have perpetrated throughout our many lives until the present time. And from now on, we should turn away from all such actions big or small, just as we would avoid getting thorns in our eyes. We should constantly be checking what we do: any negative action should be confessed immediately, and all positive actions dedicated to others. To the best of our ability, we should abandon wrongdoing and try to accumulate goodness.